


The Five Common Cures for Insomnia That Don't Work and the One Uncommon That Does (As Prescribed By Dr. Banner, for Dr. Banner)

by sky_reid



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Insomnia, Team, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Translation Available, idk i'm too drunk to think abt it much, obv
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 23:11:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1112638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_reid/pseuds/sky_reid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce hasn't had to deal with insomnia in a while. It takes a few tries and some help to find a cure this time around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Five Common Cures for Insomnia That Don't Work and the One Uncommon That Does (As Prescribed By Dr. Banner, for Dr. Banner)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eruannalle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eruannalle/gifts).



> THIS is what i was doing so there now you know (ignore this if you're not mims)
> 
> you can now read this fic in spanish [here](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9985835/1/Cinco-Soluciones-Comunes-Para-El-Insomnio-que-no-Funcionan) (thanks to latexohpo)

 

_The Five Common Cures for Insomnia That Don't Work and the One Uncommon That Does_

_(As Prescribed By Dr. Banner, for Dr. Banner)_

 

_i. sleeping pills_

 

It's been years since Bruce has had trouble with insomnia. Usually, staying in control all day is draining, especially when one works with sick people in a third world country, but since his relocation to the Stark Tower, he's been a lot less exhausted and falling into bed and simply passing out hasn't been as easy.

 

The first time it happens, he just hopes it will be the last; he sits on the balcony, smokes and looks at the blinking lights under him. The second time it happens, he stays in bed and hopes for sleep to come. The third time it happens, he knows he needs to do something.

 

It's easy to locate the medicine cabinet with Jarvis's help and find the sleeping pills, neatly placed on the bottom shelf, easy to reach like maybe Tony uses them often enough to need them easily reachable. He downs three and stays awake all night.

 

_ii. green tea_

 

It's not really a surprise, Bruce has never been one for manmade medicine, but he still hoped it would work. But the next time he can't sleep, he opts for the more traditional cure of making himself some green tea. It helps some, gets him relaxed enough to actually take a nap, but it's nowhere near enough to knock him out and actually send him to sleep.

 

Back in India he knew this old lady who lived just outside of the village and sold the strongest and the best teas he'd ever had; he wishes he'd stocked up on her blend of green tea as he can still swear that it would knock out a horse in the proper quantity. As it is, he picks the strongest of (not many) kinds that Tony keeps in his cupboard and starts drinking it every opportunity he has. He goes through most of the two boxes that Tony has before new ones start appearing. New blends with various flavours, stronger and different and at one point there's actually a blend imported from India. Bruce doesn't know if Tony noticed himself or if Jarvis (or maybe someone else) told him, but either way he's grateful.

 

Of course the tea, nice as it is, isn't a permanent cure as he seems to develop a tolerance to it pretty quickly. And then he's lying awake in bed again.

 

_iii. counting sheep_

 

When he gets desperate enough he starts to count sheep. It helps about as much as turning off the lights, which is to say not at all, but for a while he amuses himself by writing down the number he gets to every night and continuing from there the next time. He thinks that, given enough time, he could actually run out of numbers.

 

Luckily, for a given value of luckily, he's only on 9,298,649 when he eventually passes out one dawn on a day he's not sure he can pinpoint on a calender.

 

_iv. alcohol_

 

It's harder after that, to focus on anything, especially something as stupid as counting imaginary sheep. It's harder to walk and to breathe and to keep up the pretence of everything being alright. And there's one thing that Bruce has always known to make things easier, if a little foggier – alcohol. He knows, somewhere deep down, that it's the stupidest idea he's had in a while, but he's so tired that he doesn't really care anymore.

 

Once again Tony and his castle don't disappoint as there is a seemingly never-ending collection of various bottles filled with various alcohols, from common beer to fancy flavoured Russian vodka. Bruce is tempted to try a bit from every bottle even if it puts him in the hospital (or maybe because it could put him in the hospital where they might give him something strong enough to knock him out). In the end he just goes for whiskey, his poison of choice whenever it is a choice, grabbing the bottle that's already half empty. The glasses he finds on the bar, all uniform and ornate, grabs one and pours a generous amount into it. It tastes good and he drinks until it doesn't taste anymore. He drinks until he can't remember why he's drinking.

 

It doesn't prove to be the most effective cure for insomnia, but it does cure feelings in general which he figures is as close as. He visits Tony's alcohol vault every night until one day Jarvis mysteriously blocks him from entering. There's no explanation, just a locked door and Jarvis' voice telling him he can't go in.

 

_v. work_

 

He replaces the alcohol filled den with the lab on the third floor. It's almost as good and definitely more useful. He can tune everything out and just not care for a while. He can be useful and get more tired and then napping becomes easier. He doesn't get more rested, just more sober. He doesn't get less tired, just less irritated about it.

 

_i. cuddles_

 

He's watching the sunrise one morning, lounging in the comfortable sofa in Tony's spacious living area and drinking the tea that has cooled off by now. It's been three days since he's even had a nap and he can practically feel his body shutting down, is expecting a crash sometime soon and he figures he might as well be comfortable when he passes out. The sun is almost up when he hears footsteps behind him. He assumes it's just Natasha getting up or Thor sleep-walking, but then the sofa dips and there's a warm body leaning into his and a blanket thrown over his shoulders. He looks to his side and finds Tony's eyes, heavy lidded and glassy but clear enough to know what he's doing. He doesn't speak, doesn't ask for permission or anything as silly like that because of course Tony is allowed, and it makes it easier to not feel like a total loser for needing someone to sit with him like a child.

 

He doesn't sleep that night either, but it's the most pleasant morning he's had in a while.

 

The following night Tony doesn't even go to his room, settling in with Bruce in the early evening, talking to him about research and the newest equipment he's gotten and whatever else comes to his mind that _isn't_ insomnia. Bruce does sleep that night.

 

It's Natasha after that, matter-of-fact and not nearly as cuddly as Tony, but a constant presence by Bruce's side, a silent comfort. And then it's Clint, respectfully distant and surprisingly helpful, and Steve after that, a little uncomfortable but determined, and Thor, confused but fun until Bruce doesn't spend a single night alone. He also doesn't spend them awake.


End file.
